Obama to meet with insurance CEOs

Nov. 15, 2013
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President Obama / Win McNamee, Getty Images

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

President Obama has scheduled a meeting Friday with health insurance industry CEOs, a day after announcing a plan to address Americans who have had policies canceled under the new health care law.

Obama, facing criticism even from fellow Democrats over problems with the health care law, said Thursday that companies can continue providing coverage for a year under policies that do not comply with new requirements.

Some insurance companies and state insurance officials have questioned the president's proposal.

Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, said some new policies have already been issued incorporating demands for a "broad range of benefits" - and allowing canceled policies to be extended for a year would "destabilize the market and result in higher premiums for consumers."

Said Ignagni: "Premiums have already been set for next year based on an assumption of when consumers will be transitioning to the new marketplace."

The White House said Obama, senior aides and the CEOs will "discuss ways to work together to help people enroll through the Marketplace and efforts to minimize disruption for consumers as they transition to new coverage."